The 24-year-old forward has been playing extremely well lately for Real Sociedad since transferring to the club from Arsenal in 2011. After totaling 14 goals with nine assists last season, he has been just as good this year with nine goals and eight assists in 20 starts.

Only Cesc Fabregas and Koke have more assists in La Liga this season and no player can match the totals in both categories.

Vela was a part of El Tri's squad at the 2010 World Cup, but he stopped competing for his national team in 2011 and instead focused on improving at the club level.

However, he kept the door open for a return in a recent interview with Life & Style. According to Tom Marshall of Goal.com, Vela was asked about playing in the World Cup and responded, "Why not? We’ll see. I’ve previously said no, but I’ve never definitively shut the door, nor said I wouldn’t return."

He’s a great player, he’s doing things well in Real Sociedad and he’s at a good level. He’s someone that could help us. It’s a complicated group but if we want to make history we have to win. We have to change the Mexican mentality.

Still, it now seems that Vela will not be competing for his home country after all due to his lack of emotional readiness. Wahl is one of many confused about the situation:

There has to be more to the Carlos Vela story. Mexican star turning down a World Cup invite in the prime of his career makes no sense.

As a result, a squad that struggled to score goals during qualifying will be in even more trouble offensively.

Mexico will need a lot of production out of stars like Giovani dos Santos and Javier Hernandez as well as less-heralded players in order to advance out of Group A with Brazil, Cameroon and Croatia in the way.

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